Lama Zopa Rinpoche News:

Activities and Advice

In a letter to a student, Lama Zopa Rinpoche once wrote, “I think the most important thing is that you’re happy … I’m talking about the happiness that you can develop from life to life, up to enlightenment. This happiness can be completed; it is so meaningful. Whatever you do in the world, this is the essence. This happiness is Dharma.” Read in full …

Lama Zopa Rinpoche meets some new friends in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on his way to Nepal, November 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

“[It would be good] for the centers to arrange regular interfaith dialogues with religious leaders in their local community,” encouraged Lama Zopa Rinpoche when he developed his Vast Visions for FPMT, noting that this is one way FPMT can offer service to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and support his aims. Read in full …

A student wrote to Lama Zopa Rinpoche to ask what to do when finding dead insects. Rinpoche responded, taking the opportunity not only to give advice but to describe in detail how he and Sangha members work to benefit insects, birds, and other small animals. Read in full …

November/December Teaching during part of the one-month lam-rim course, Kopan Monastery, Nepal

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International Office News:

We Invite You to Rejoice with Us!

On January 2, a long life puja was offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on behalf of Sera Je Monastery on the Maitreya Project land in Bodhgaya, India. The puja was to thank Rinpoche for twenty-six years of support offered through the Sera Je Food Fund. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

FPMT Charitable Projects invite you to rejoice in another year of offering food to all of the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery through the Sera Je Food Fund. Since 1991, the Sera Je Food Fund has offered millions of meals. We currently offer approximately 700,000 meals per year, 2,900 meals per day.

FPMT International Office invites you to rejoice that our third and final fundraising campaign in 2016 was a great success thanks to the generous support of donors around the world. US$28,605 was donated to the Give Where Most Needed Fund to help future FPMT activities. A big thank you to all who contributed to the campaign!

Newly Available from Education Services

Time to Count Your International Merit Box Offerings

Now is the time to open your Merit Boxes and count and send in your accumulated offerings! Just think: what is sitting in your Merit Box now will later this year transform into grants that will help Dharma projects around the world. Learn how to send in your collected Merit Box offerings here.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered to lunch to Sangha members while in Bangalore, India, December 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Foundation Store News: 2017 Practice Calendar

This calendar includes lunar dates and information about more than thirty kinds of practice days and auspicious and inauspicious days for each month. The calendar was prepared by astrologer Ngawang Thartho based on the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute’s calendar, with additional advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Geshe Ngawang Dakpa.

Mandala Magazine: It’s Not Too Late

It’s not too late to get your copy of the January-June 2017 issue of Mandala, which explores what it means to really practice Dharma and includes teachings by Ribur Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Get your copy from the Foundation Store or as a Friend of FPMT.

For Center, Project and Service Directors, SPCs, Board Members, Registered Teachers and Coordinators:

(This advice is specifically for those offering service in these roles.)

Honor Lama Yeshe by Offering Lama Chöpa

A reminder to please offer Lama Chöpa with tsog on Tibetan New Year (Losar). This year, Losar is on February 27, 2017. Rinpoche advises that FPMT centers should offer extensive Lama Chöpa with tsog on this day each year to honor the anniversary of Lama Yeshe’s passing away. Rinpoche added that it is good to do this at the time Lama Yeshe passed away, which was at 5 a.m. (on Losar in 1984). Rinpoche emphasized the importance and benefits in offering tsog on that occasion each year. Find more on this in the Affiliates Area …

FPMT Affiliates Area: Did You Find …

FPMT World:

Rejoice!

Congratulations to Buddha House, Adelaide, Australia, on its move into its new building on January 16—after a lot of work from volunteers!

Opportunities to Offer Service in FPMT

Please check out the regularly updated meritorious opportunities to offer service as a volunteer or as paid staff in FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world. Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India, is looking for an interpreter (Tibetan-English), a Basic Program teaching assistant, and a fundraiser and publicity officer; Mahamudra Center, New Zealand, needs a cook and a housekeeper.